Genetic Analysis Of Historic Western Great Lakes Region Wolf Samples Reveals Early Canis Lupus/Lycaon Hybridization

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Also Included In: Veterinary;  Genetics
Article Date: 22 Oct 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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The genetic status of wolves in the western Great Lakes region (WGLR) has received increased attention following their removal from the U.S. Endangered Species List.

We examined the genetic composition of three historic wolves from the WGLR and showed that they were genetically similar to the present animals in the region, which are derived from eastern wolf (Canis lycaon) and gray wolf (C. lupus) hybridization, and not wolf-coyote hybridization as previously suggested.

This suggests that current WGLR wolves are representative of the animals that occupied the region a century ago.

Royal Society Journal Biology Letters

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